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A Sexual Health BlogTue, 23 Dec 2014 21:10:42 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.1Protect Yourself: 3 Reasons to Vaccinate Against HPVhttps://www.sexualhealth.com/blog/protect-yourself-3-reasons-to-vaccinate-against-hpv/
https://www.sexualhealth.com/blog/protect-yourself-3-reasons-to-vaccinate-against-hpv/#commentsTue, 30 Sep 2014 20:46:05 +0000http://www.sexualhealth.com/blog/?p=2338Read more]]>September is gynecological cancer month. We may not talk about gynecological cancers as much as we talk about breast cancer or leukemia, but it is equally as important to learn about these cancers, what causes them, and what we can do to protect ourselves.

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that can infect males and females. The two HPV vaccines available, Gardasil and Cervarix, are the first and only preventative cancer vaccines, which have been developed to fight against the many gynecological cancers that HPV causes, including cervical, vulvar, and vaginal cancers. In fact, HPV is responsible for 70% of all cervical cancers 4. HPV is also responsible for other types of cancers, like penile, throat, tongue, and anal cancers, and can cause genital warts in those who do not develop cancer.

In recent years, fewer and fewer parents are opting to vaccinate their sons and daughters against various diseases, including HPV. There are a myriad of reasons why, but the fact is, less than 14% of boys and less than 38% of girls between the ages of 11 and 13 years received the three-dose HPV vaccination in 2013 7.

Here are 3 important reasons to get you or your loved ones vaccinated against HPV:

1. The HPV Vaccine is considered safe & effective

Safety of the vaccine is generally the most common concern parents and patients often have. The two HPV vaccines on the market today, Gardasil and Cervarix, are considered safe by the FDA and the CDC 5. Gardasil has been tested in thousands of females ages 9 to 26 years, and has distributed over 170 million doses 6. The FDA and CDC both agree that Gardasil is safe, with only minor, temporary side effects like joint pain, fainting, muscle weakness, and soreness around injection site.

Similarly, Cervarix has been tested in over 18,000 women in more than 14 different countries and has been deemed safe by the FDA and the CDC. As in Gardasil, side effects of Cervarix are all minor, temporary side effects including pain, swelling, and redness at the injection site, headaches, fainting, and muscle pains. In addition to their safety, these HPV vaccinations work. Recent studies have confirmed that receiving the HPV vaccination can protect for at least 8 years. This study followed vaccinated pre-teens from the time they were vaccinated 8 years ago, and has found that even today, their bodies are still going strong, producing the antibodies needed to protect against HPV 2. The study also confirmed that none of the vaccinated pre-teens developed any HPV-related conditions from the vaccination.

2. HPV Can Be Dangerous

Though chlamydia and gonorrhea get more of the limelight for being common sexually transmitted diseases, HPV is actually the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD). HPV is so common that most sexually active males and females will inevitably contract it, even if they engage in monogamous sexual relationships1. Today, there are 79 million Americans living with HPV, and every year 14 million more Americans become diagnosed with the disease 5. There are more than 40 different types of HPV, with HPV-16 and HPV-18 accounting for 70% of all cervical cancers, and HPV-6 and HPV-11 accounting for 90% of all cases of genital warts. Furthermore, HPV can evolve into a myriad of different cancers, including: cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal, throat, and tongue cancers, and also cause genital warts. While some people living with HPV live normal lives, there is no way to predict whose HPV will remain dormant and whose will develop into one of the seven different cancers that HPV is responsible for.

3. It is readily available, and covered by most insurance companies

Knowing the types of cancers and diseases HPV can cause can help us to protect ourselves and our children. Some parents worry that vaccinating their children is synonymous with giving them permission to engage in sexual activity at a young age. It’s important to remember, however, that the HPV vaccination is not designed to facilitate sexual activity in 11 and 12 year olds 1; instead, it’s administered to young, pre-teens in order to prevent exposure to the disease before they become sexually active young adults. However, this is not to say that you cannot still get the vaccine. Through age 26, the HPV vaccine can be administered, so still take advantage of this opportunity and get vaccinated.

The Human Papillomavirus can be very dangerous if it evolves into any of the seven different types of cancer it is known to cause. HPV is so common that almost all sexually active men and women will contract some form of it during their lives 3.

Schedule that appointment, and talk with your or your child’s doctor about the HPV vaccine. It is the best way to protect yourself and your children from this disease and variety of cancers it causes.

Amazing news this week! The Illinois House and Senate passed IL SB10, the Religious Freedom and Marriage Equality Act, making way for same-sex couples to marry in the state. Illinois is the 15th state in the U.S. to pass a bill in favor of gay marriage and it merely awaits Gov. Quinn’s signature. The bill is slated to be signed this month. The news comes on the heels of the 2011 bill allowing Civil Unions for same-sex couples in Illinois.

In 2004, Massachusetts (my home state) became the first state in the U.S. to pass a marriage equality act. Two years ago, I served as a bridesmaid in a lesbian wedding in Southern Illinois. The couple joined many gay and lesbian Chicagoans in June of 2011 at the Chicago History Museum to celebrate and be officiated in a community ceremony. That same summer, the Museum hosted “Out in Chicago,” an LBGT exhibition celebrating — yes — 150 years of gay and lesbian culture in Chicago!

It’s good to know that the City of the Big Shoulders and the Land of Lincoln continue to act as a beacons for equality and change.

There are at least two same-sex weddings I have to look forward to in the near future — let’s hope the remaining 35 united states are on their way!

1st Inning At the bottom of the 1st, while your team is at bat, make sure you ask consent from your partner before your team even steps up to the plate. This could be in the form of asking someone you like out for coffee, inviting them to a concert, or, post season, inviting them to watch the Red Sox win the World Series at Fenway Park. This type of engagement is also known as a date and can be really fun. Being nervous on a date is part of the fun!

2nd Inning By the second inning, maybe you’re still a little nervous about the game. But keep in mind, there is no need to get a score on the board too quickly. Patience and flirtation can add to the mystery of dating. Simply holding hands and making nervous phone calls to tell the other person you enjoyed seeing them is more than enough to the keep butterflies in the tummy (and in the outfield).

3rd Inning Wow! The 3rd inning leaves you both flushed! You and your partner have now practiced safer sex three times since you met. You have used condoms as a barrier method of choice to protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and your partner informed you that they prefer the IUD as a from of birth control. Not only are you communicating well with one another, but your favorite baseball team scored a triple and are that much closer to the Pennant!

4th Inning The 4th inning indicates another exciting turn in the relationship! Perhaps some of your friends warn that you are taking things quickly, but the important thing is you are enjoying yourselves and the company of your partner. If you are both communicative and consensual, there is not such thing as “too quickly.”

6th Inning The relationship has taken a little bit of a lull at this point and neither of you are sure if you are still dating, if you were ever dating, or if you just had a few good sex positive flings. The important part at this point in a new relationship is not to get too heady or to panic. If it’s meant to move forward as a longer term life partnership, simply morph into a casual sex partnership, or quietly fizzle out, those things will be made clear in time. All are ok.

8th Inning The good news about the 7th Inning Stretch is by this time it’s been made clear the relationship is moving in a very good and passionate direction. It’s healthy to have worries a little bit after the honeymoon period. It’s possible that even one of you might have hooked up with someone else during the “courting” phase of the relationship. In baseball terms, this is sometimes called a “Pickle.” As long as safer sex was practiced by all partners involved, all of these things are normal parts of a healthy relationship.

9th Inning By this time, the relationship is well on its way to hibernating for the winter. Perhaps you two will continue dating and building a strong partnership for life. Perhaps the winter months will give you both cabin fever and make you realize that, though you had fun in the first few innings, now might be a good time to amicably step away as sexual partners, but keep the door open as friends. This can be tricky, but with patience and positivity, it can be done.

More pencils and books! The Kinsey Institute aims to fund graduate students in the area of significant and innovative research that pertains to human sexuality. Grant submissions are currently open and the deadline to submit is November 1, 2013: “The Kinsey Institute Student Research Grant” (The Kinsey Institute)

Perhaps ten steps ahead of paper cranes, a new condom design funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is slated to hit the consumer market sometime in 2014/2015.

If the website is any indication, ORIGAMI Condoms look as sexy as they sound. In March 2013, Grand Challenges in Global Health announced the Next Generation of Condom challenge. ORIGAMI has since been recognized as the leading private sector innovator to recreate the condom. ORIGAMI founder, Danny Resnic, aims to reinvent the condom into a user-friendly and pleasurable device. A mission long sought after by sex toy companies, it’s fun to have a condom company in on the innovation game.

What do these condoms look like and who will be the target audience? Well, there are three condom designs currently in the works:

Each of the three condoms are made of silicone with anatomy-specific design for increased pleasure, ease of use, and comfort. The condoms are 100% biocompatible and non-allergenic, not to mention fun to look at. There are video instructions on the website for each of them, which are super informative and wild to watch. Because the condoms are made of silicone, only water-based lubricants should be used with them. Silicone lubricants paired with silicone condoms (or toys) cause friction and can destroy the material — something very important to remember for safer sex and STD prevention.

In the current stage of innovation, the condoms are solely designed to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and STIs/STDs, but further research is being conducted to ensure that they also act as a contraceptive.

Before ORIGAMI Condoms can reach the consumer market in the U.S, they must first be approved by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Perhaps the best part about ORIGAMI? These condoms are brought to you by: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, NPR, Huffington Post, CBS News, ABC, National Female Condom Day, and The Doctors.

There is something to be said about fidelity. There is also something to be said about being proactive about one’s health, no matter what social, pop culture, income, or class bracket a person may fall in.

Wrapped in the drama of superstar fame, Khloe Kardashian decided to get tested for a range of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) a few months ago after her husband, basketball star Lamar Odom, admitted to having unprotected sex with other women.

This is an extremely smart and proactive step on Khloe’s part. If your husband, partner, or lover, is having any type of sex (penetrative, unprotected, extramarital, or polyamorous) with other people, getting tested regularly is crucial. It is also important to remember that oral sex is sex and that barrier methods (such as dental dams or condoms) should be used to avoid infections.

While the media often sensationalizes these stories and spins them in a very one-dimensional, gossip-mongering light, please remember that everyone involved in this scandal — even the people Odom allegedly had affairs with — are human and their privacy and sexual health are equally important.

For many students across the United States, the dog days of summer are over, now replaced by pencils, teachers, books, and dirty looks. What if some of those dirty looks are flirtatious? What if some of them are not?

What if we could teach those kids the difference?

To ring in the new school year and to introduce sexual health curriculum to youth, here are a few very cool pioneering resources, websites, and guides:

In preparation for the opening of the Health Insurance Marketplace in October, below are a few tips and guidelines to better understand how coverage works in your state, how to access it, and how to take advantage of the national health care program all citizens have a right to:

What are My Birth Control Benefits? – A more comprehensive list of contraceptive coverage under the Affordable Care Act (Ladies, take note, services related to a man’s reproductive capacity, like vasectomies, may not be covered under Obamacare.)

Lastly, for anyone interested in an artistic response to why health insurance matters, here is this creative call to action for comics and cartoonists:

A Call For Comics About Why Health Insurance Matters – How have you been affected by having or not having health insurance? Tell why it matters to have health insurance with a 4-panel comic. In celebration of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the deadline for submissions is October 1st!

“’Effective immediately, when same-sex spouses apply for a visa,the Department of State will consider that application in the same manner
that it will consider the application of opposite-sex spouses,’
Mr. Kerry announced at the American Embassy here.”
-New York Times

Over the past few months, The Naked Truth has been shouting all about civic hacking and challenges throughout the country. Well, Challenge.gov has launched to encourage citizens to get on board and hack away at civic issues that concern them. An online challenge platform administered by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), in partnership with ChallengePost, Challenge.gov empowers the U.S. Government and the public to develop solutions to pressing national issues, such as Health, Labor, Economy, Jobs, Energy and Environment, etc.

Care Counts calls for the creation of an innovative, educational Tool (device designed for usability) that will inform women about how to enroll in their state’s Health Insurance Marketplace (platform created to help health insurance consumers find health coverage that fits their specific budget and needs). The Tool should include key provisions of the ACA specifically designed to improve the health of women and their families.

The idea is that this Tool will be accessible to all women, but will particularly reach women in undeserved communities (assuming women in underserved communities can easily access the Tool). Successful solutions to this challenge will illuminate coverage of 22 preventive services for women without copayment. These services include, but are not limited to:

Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Counseling

Cervical Cancer Screening

HPV DNA Testing

Chlamydia Infection Screening

Syphilis Screening

Urinary Tract or Other Infection Screening

The Care Counts Challenge is offering a 1st and 2nd place prize to teams that submit winning solutions. A 1st place prize of $7,500 will be awarded in the category of English print, web-based or social media. A parallel 1st place prize, also for $7,500, will be awarded in the category of Spanish print, web-based or social media. 2nd place prize winners, in the same categories, will receive an award of $5,000 each, for a total of a $25,000 distribution to winners.